LUCKNOW, Nov. 12 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday took a swipe at the Opposition (without naming the SP) and cautioned people against divisive forces who humiliate people from the hills ("Devbhoomi") by spewing venom at them, but embrace infiltrators and patronise the mafia by bowing before them.

He made these remarks at the Uttarakhand Mahotsav 2026 at Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant Upvan in Lucknow.

This was an apparent rebuttal to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav who triggered a political controversy last month by allegedly referring to people from Uttarakhand as "infiltrators" in Uttar Pradesh.

Adityanath said that Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant, the first chief minister of UP, hailed from Uttarakhand.

"The sacred rivers...